Saturday Night Live celebrated their 40th year anniversary in a big way this weekend. The star-studded event had a slew of celebrity appearances, but none of which was more exciting than the return of Eddie Murphy who left the show over 30 years.
Chris Rock introduced the legendary comic attributing his own success to Murphy who was the person, he says, that inspired him to pursue comedy as career.
“When I was young, I didn’t think comedy was a job,” said Rock, “…Then I saw Eddie Murphy on Saturday Night Live and it changed everything. Not only could comedy be a job, but it could be a career.”
Rock went on to praise Murphy as a one-of-a-kind comedian that is unmatched by his peers.
“Every year the media tries to call some new comic the next Eddie Murphy. Martin Lawrence is the next Eddie Murphy. Chris Rock is the next Eddie Murphy. Kevin Hart is the next Eddie Murphy. [But] there is no next Eddie Murphy.”
Watch Chris Rock’s complete introduction in the video above.